HOF Questions and Answers Thread

[Ozbenno]

Thanks for the answer. If I read well, different eras don't matter if my game is non ancient.
Just to be sure I understand it correctly, here is the situation.
I played a renaissance start on a table where the only entry was a modern start.
I wasn't able to beat the date, so I guess I'll be facing the dreaded "almost empty" table EQM points bleeding, even with a phantom date.

Yep that's right, the modern start date will be taken into account for Rock of Ages EQM points.

 

[backnine31]

Hi, I've been directed here to get help on getting the HoF mod to work with my Warlords. Here is all the relevant data I can think of to help you get to the crux of my problem.

I have the Vista OS. I had the BAT 2.3 mod installed and working about a year ago. I've been playing the CivV TSG series recently and decided I wanted to go back and play some of the CivIV GOTM and such. To do so they said I needed the HoF mod. I downloaded and installed it but when I open the game and try to use the mod I get the "not an administrator" pop-up so I can't participate in the G'sOTM.

I went to the forums and found the posts about Vista "fixes" and implemented them. I've gone into the Firaxis folder and changed the permissions but it hasn't worked. I uninstalled everything and reinstalled it all under a c:\games folder to take everything out from under the Program Files. That hasn't worked. I'm basically the only user on this computer although there are a couple other users set up so I tried the file sharing stuff and that didn't work. I'm not sure I did all the file sharing stuff correctly but the other users would never play Civ so I'm not sure that stuff would matter anyway. I've created another user with admin privileges and tried to run the game under that account but that hasn't worked either. Basically, I open the game. Go to the mods and run the Hof004 and it tells me I'm not an administrator so my games can't be saved or used in the HoF or WOTM competitions. The game itself runs fine. I can play it with the mod. I just can't be a part of the competitions.

I ran into this problem a year ago with the Buffy and BAT mods. I seem to recall (although I couldn't swear to it) that someone eventually told me I needed to go into a file or 3 and change a couple of things and it worked. I have NO idea what those would be though. I'm not very savvy on code changes and the like.

Anyway, I'm trying to anticipate any questions you might have. Like I said, my games are not installed under the program files. I've done the Vista fixes. My games are the CivIV Gold Edition (no patches needed) and the BtS patched to 3.19. The game works fine as installed but won't allow me to post to the WOTM/GOTM/etc. I've tried the Vista "fixes'. So.....

Help, please!

Thanks!

 

[Denniz]

I ran into this problem a year ago with the Buffy and BAT mods. I seem to recall (although I couldn't swear to it) that someone eventually told me I needed to go into a file or 3 and change a couple of things and it worked. I have NO idea what those would be though. I'm not very savvy on code changes and the like.

From the sound of it the above is what you are missing. Here is what you should do (do for each version):

• Go to the icon you use to launch Civ4.
• Right-Click on it and select "Properties".
• Click on "Compatability" tab.
• Towards the bottom, click the checkbox on that say "Run program as an Administrator".
• Click Ok.

Good luck.

 

[backnine31]

Yay!!! Thank you!! I went to the icons and right-clicked but there was no "properties" option to click on. So I clicked on "Customize" instead. A window came up to "Edit" play so I clicked on "edit" and it brought up a Play Properties menu with the "shortcut" tab highlighted.

From there I clicked on "Advanced" which brought up a window where I could check a box "Run as an Administrator". I checked that box and then hit okay.

I then clicked on the "Compatibility" tab and at the bottom of the window there was a Privilege Level section that had a check box for "Run as an Administrator" so I checked that box as well and hit apply. There is also an option at the very bottom called "Show settings for all users" which you can use to allow all users to run this program as an administrator.

To make a long story short: it now works! Thank you very much for your help! I tried to detail the steps I took so the next poor bastard going through what I just went through can maybe cut about 30 hours off of the frustration time.

Thanks again!!!

 

[Chazmania006]

Hi, I would like to play the Civ IV GOTM, but am having some difficulty getting the HoF MOD to run properly.

I'm running:
Civ IV, via Steam
Windows 7

After trying to load the HOF-1.74.0004 mod, I am greeted with:

"Warning: The HOF Mod will be unable to save settings. Games played will NOT be valid for submission... ...Please use an user account with admin access. (Vista users, please check the HOF Mod web page for fixes related to Vista)."

Here is the file that I'm trying to change:
C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\sid meier's civilization 4\Civilization4.exe

Every time I modify the Compatability Mode to "Windows XP (Service Pack 2)" AND/OR if I check "Run this program as an administrator", when I try to run the game I am greeted with the "Cannot find Steam" error.

If I uncheck those and apply, I am able to run Civ IV again.

I've done some forum searching but haven't been able to figure anything out on my own, so I appreciate any help you guys can offer.

Thanks!

 

[Denniz]

Hi, I would like to play the Civ IV GOTM, but am having some difficulty getting the HoF MOD to run properly.

I'm running:
Civ IV, via Steam
Windows 7

After trying to load the HOF-1.74.0004 mod, I am greeted with:

"Warning: The HOF Mod will be unable to save settings. Games played will NOT be valid for submission... ...Please use an user account with admin access. (Vista users, please check the HOF Mod web page for fixes related to Vista)."

Here is the file that I'm trying to change:
C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\sid meier's civilization 4\Civilization4.exe

Every time I modify the Compatability Mode to "Windows XP (Service Pack 2)" AND/OR if I check "Run this program as an administrator", when I try to run the game I am greeted with the "Cannot find Steam" error.

If I uncheck those and apply, I am able to run Civ IV again.

I've done some forum searching but haven't been able to figure anything out on my own, so I appreciate any help you guys can offer.

Thanks!

Changing the Compatability Mode to "Windows XP (Service Pack 2)" is not necessary. It is only suggested if you have stability issues durng play. Hopefully the "Run this program as an administrator" will work by itself.

 

[Chazmania006]

Changing the Compatability Mode to "Windows XP (Service Pack 2)" is not necessary. It is only suggested if you have stability issues durng play. Hopefully the "Run this program as an administrator" will work by itself.

It seems that any compatability modification caused the "cannot find steam" error.

Even if I leave the Win XP compatability option unchecked, as long as "Run this program as an administrator" is checked Civ IV won't launch.

 

[Denniz]

It seems that any compatability modification caused the "cannot find steam" error.

Even if I leave the Win XP compatability option unchecked, as long as "Run this program as an administrator" is checked Civ IV won't launch.

That is really strange. Plenty of Steam users have been able to do this. How are you launching Civ4. Are you doing it from Steam or from a shortcut to the exe? If you aren't using a shortcut to launch civ4 directly, try that.

 

[Chazmania006]

"C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\sid meier's civilization iv\civilization4.exe" is the appropriate executable, correct?

Even if I try to launch via that executable, as long as "run this program as an administrator" is checked I still get the "failed to find Steam" error message.\

If I purchased the game through Steam, is there a way to run it independant of Steam?

 

[Denniz]

"C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\sid meier's civilization iv\civilization4.exe" is the appropriate executable, correct?

Even if I try to launch via that executable, as long as "run this program as an administrator" is checked I still get the "failed to find Steam" error message.\

If I purchased the game through Steam, is there a way to run it independant of Steam?

As far as I know, Civ4 didn't have any built-in connection to Steam like Civ5 does. I don't understand how running with elevated permissions would affect the game. Could you printscreen the error you are getting?

Just to be sure I understand how you are launching Civ4, right-click on the exe and select "send to" and "desktop (create shortcut)". Try using that icon to run civ4. If that works, then change the properties on the shortcut to "run this program as an administrator" and try it that way.

It that doesn't work, download and run the Assetchecker. I would be interested to see if it has any trouble finding Civ4.

 

[sjclarkey]

Hi, I just decided to explore for the first time playing the GOM for CIViV (vanilla) and downloaded and set up the HOF mod but after the restart I now cannot open the game at all. Just get the message 'Cannot Locate DVD-ROM'. I am running on a Dell laptop with Vista. I am not very technical so please help. I also tried to follow the instructions for the Vista fixes. Have been playing the game fine for months before this. Thanks

 

[Denniz]

Hi, I just decided to explore for the first time playing the GOM for CIViV (vanilla) and downloaded and set up the HOF mod but after the restart I now cannot open the game at all. Just get the message 'Cannot Locate DVD-ROM'. I am running on a Dell laptop with Vista. I am not very technical so please help. I also tried to follow the instructions for the Vista fixes. Have been playing the game fine for months before this. Thanks

The HOF Mod shouldn't have anything to do with that particular message. Have you tried running the game without the HOF mod? It doesn't come into play unless you start it.

Um, do you have the the disc in one of your drives, don't you? Sorry, I had to ask. Only BTS 3.17+ can run without a disc. Also, Vanilla had a problem where the discs were labeled incorrectly, did you try the other one?

Make sure you are patched to 1.74. That shouldn't matter with the error you have but you need to be there to play the GOTM. Also check the GOTM website faq page for a download you will need if you don't have the changes the BTS patches made to vanilla. Make sure you patch BTS after your patch Vanilla.

If all else fails, uninstall, delete leftovers, re-install. You can also check the CIV4 Tech Support Forum to see if anyone else has been in your situation before.

Good luck.

 

[Sun Tzu Wu]

Um, do you have the the disc in one of your drives, don't you? Sorry, I had to ask. Only BTS 3.17+ can run without a disc. Also, Vanilla had a problem where the discs were labeled incorrectly, did you try the other one?

Yes, all newer versions of Beyond the Sword run fine without the install CD/DVD being in a drive. This is not true for the separate Vanilla or Warlords package.

One exception to this is the Civ IV: The Complete Edition. Vanilla, Warlords, and Beyond the Sword all run without the The Complete Edition DVD being in the DVD drive. I just checked this on my 64 bit MS Windows 7 laptop.

The other obvious exception is Steam which requires no DVDs at all.

Sun Tzu Wu

 

[Trystero]

Hi- I am new to HoF and had a question regarding the starting save included with the final submission: If I settled (but didn't end the turn) before I remembered to make a starting save, will the game still qualify, or should I abandon my current attempt and restart? Thanks!

 

[babaBrian]

Hi- I am new to HoF and had a question regarding the starting save included with the final submission: If I settled (but didn't end the turn) before I remembered to make a starting save, will the game still qualify, or should I abandon my current attempt and restart? Thanks!

Good question! I'm a long-time HoF addict, and I've always wondered that, but always trashed a game when that happens not wanting to lament a rejected gem of a game.

Looking forward to the answer...

 

[Ozbenno]

As long as the save is from 4000bc the game will be fine. Remember if you forget, there is an auto save in the auto directory as well.

 

[Trystero]

Great! Thanks!

 

[Sun Tzu Wu]

As long as the save is from 4000bc the game will be fine. Remember if you forget, there is an auto save in the auto directory as well.

I assume the preference is still an initial save (turn 0) with no unit moved, though I understand that the HOF may accept a start with some units moved but still in turn 0.

Notice that specifying the start as "turn 0" works for all starting Eras and not just the Ancient Era. At least it does for Beyond the Sword and BUFFY; not sure about Warlords and Vanilla.

Sun Tzu Wu

 

[kcd_swede]

As long as the save is from 4000bc the game will be fine. Remember if you forget, there is an auto save in the auto directory as well.

Wow... that is so opposite of what I've always assumed.

It will certainly be a big timesaver to be able to move units before clicking regen without manual saving some crappy-looking start with interesting fog (compared to as I do now.... making save, then moving units, then clicking regen). I personally do not trust my autosaves folder from bad experiences.

 

[shulec]

There is a setting that will save every time you exit the game. It also saves every time you manually regenerate a new start. It will also save your game for any new game you generate from the custom game screen. I NEVER make a manual save for Turn 0. I never use the autosave file either.

If you use mapfinder, it will not save every regeneration. Mapfinder then only saves the appropriate saves in your mapfinder target folder.